Alibaba Cloud Linux (Aliyun Linux) Release 2.1903 LTS is a Linux distribution developed and maintained by Alibaba Cloud, specifically optimized for use on Alibaba Cloud’s Elastic Compute Service (ECS) instances.
Overview of Alibaba Cloud Linux 2.1903 LTS
- Distribution Name: Alibaba Cloud Linux 2 (based on CentOS/Red Hat Enterprise Linux compatibility)
- Version: 2.1903
- Release Date: March 2019
- Status: Long-Term Support (LTS), supported for several years with security patches and updates.
- Use Case: Optimized for cloud environments, especially Alibaba Cloud ECS.
- Package Manager:
yum - Architecture(s) Supported: x86_64 (and possibly others depending on instance type)
Key Features
-
Performance Optimization:
- Kernel tuned for cloud workloads.
- Enhanced I/O scheduling and networking performance.
-
Security Enhancements:
- Regular security updates.
- SELinux support and other hardened configurations.
-
Compatibility:
- Compatible with most RPM packages from RHEL/CentOS 7.x ecosystem.
- Supports major development tools and runtimes like Docker, Kubernetes, etc.
-
Cloud Integration:
- Pre-integrated with Alibaba Cloud infrastructure components.
- Optimized drivers for virtualization and storage on ECS.
-
Support Lifecycle:
- Typically aligned with CentOS/RHEL lifecycle; expect around 10 years of support (until ~2029).
- Note: Specific support timelines should be verified via Alibaba Cloud official documentation.
How to Identify It
You can check the OS version using:
cat /etc/os-release
or
cat /etc/alinux-release
Example output:
Alibaba Cloud Linux release 2.1903 LTS (Hunting Beagle)
Package Management
Uses YUM as the default package manager:
sudo yum update
sudo yum install <package-name>
Repositories are pre-configured for Alibaba Cloud mirrors, which ensures fast downloads in the cloud environment.
Choosing Between Alibaba Cloud Linux and Other Distributions
| Feature | Alibaba Cloud Linux 2.1903 | CentOS/RHEL 7 | Ubuntu 18.04 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optimized for Alibaba Cloud | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Performance Tuning | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Needs tuning | ⚠️ Needs tuning |
| LTS Support | ✅ Until ~2029 | ✅ Until 2024 (CentOS 7 EOL) | ✅ Until 2023 |
| Familiarity | RHEL-like | RHEL-like | Debian-based |
| Use Case | Best for Alibaba Cloud users | General purpose | General purpose |
Note: CentOS 7 reached End of Life (EOL) in June 2024, so if you’re choosing an LTS system today, consider Alibaba Cloud Linux 3 or Rocky Linux/AlmaLinux 8+ instead.
Migration and Replacement Options
If you’re using Alibaba Cloud Linux 2.1903 and looking to upgrade/migrate:
- In-place upgrades: Not typically recommended between major versions.
- Next-generation options:
- Alibaba Cloud Linux 3 (based on RHEL 8 stream)
- Rocky Linux 8 or AlmaLinux 8
- Ubuntu 20.04 LTS or 22.04 LTS
Official Resources
- Alibaba Cloud Linux Documentation
- Alibaba Cloud Linux FAQ
Let me know if you need help upgrading from this version or comparing it to another distro!
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